BJP leader and former Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Saturday appealed to party workers to maintain calm and avoid any form of violent protest after unrest broke out in Datia over the party’s decision to deny him a ticket to the upcoming Assembly by polls.
Speaking to reporters, Mishra said that the BJP’s decision should be respected and differences should be raised through the party’s internal forums and not through public demonstrations.
“This is the party’s decision. But after watching these videos where workers are seen protesting with petrol and kerosene, I just want to say that you can put forward your point of view in the party forum. There is a way to do it. This is not the way to express it,” Mishra said.
His remarks came hours after thousands of his supporters clashed with police, blocked National Highway 44, and sparked widespread unrest in Datia after the BJP announced Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate in the July 30 by-election.
Datia’s protest turns violent
The protest, which began on Friday evening, continued for nearly 11 to 12 hours before police cleared the highway in the early hours of Saturday.
According to Datia District Collector Swapnil Wankhede, the administration spent the night trying to convince the protesters to end the siege. However, the situation escalated around 4.30am when protesters allegedly started pelting stones at police personnel as they tried to reopen the highway.
The police responded by firing tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several police vehicles and trucks were damaged, while one vehicle overturned during the violence, officials said.
The district administration also invoked Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which prohibits any assembly, procession, sit-in, protest or public event without prior permission.
Among the injured were police officers
Officials said the violence resulted in injuries to several police personnel, including Superintendent of Police Datia Mayur Khandelwal, Sub-Divisional Police Officer and other officers deployed at the site. District Collector Wankhede also suffered a head injury despite wearing a helmet.
Speaking to reporters, Wankhede said the police did not resort to lathi charge and instead relied on persuasion and tear gas to control the situation.
SP Khandelwal said that more than 3,000 protesters gathered in Datia and tried to shut down markets and block the NH-44 road, severely affecting normal life.
“We repeatedly appealed to them to lift the siege. Around 4 a.m., they started pelting stones at police personnel, after which tear gas shells were fired,” he said, adding that several protesters were arrested and warned of strict action in case of further violence.
The blockade reportedly caused traffic jams extending up to 20 km, affecting movement towards Jhansi, Gwalior and adjoining areas. The authorities diverted vehicles to alternative routes and facilitated the movement of ambulances.
Why did the protests break out?
The unrest came in the wake of the BJP’s announcement on Friday of naming Ashutosh Tiwari as its candidate for the Datia Assembly by-election, snubbing Mishra, who was preparing to contest the seat.
The decision sparked discontent among its supporters, with nearly 300 BJP officials from the district to the panchayat level reportedly resigning in protest. Some workers were also seen threatening to harm themselves and demanding that the party reconsider its decision.
Tiwari, who hails from Sevda in Datia district and was active in the organizational setup of the BJP, thanked the party leadership after his nomination.
He also said that Mishra was a great leader and mentor who assured him of his support during the election campaign.
Why is the Datia survey being conducted?
The Datia Assembly seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti was disqualified following his conviction in a cheating case. Bharti had defeated Mishra by more than 7,500 votes in the 2023 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.
The Election Commission has set the polling date for the by-elections in Datia on July 30, and the counting of votes is scheduled to take place on August 3.
